NING Shuai ¹, DUAN Rongrui ², ZHOU Yitong ³

(1. School of Design and Art, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, Jiangxi, China; 2. Chinese Ceramic Culture Research Institute, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, Jiangxi, China; 3. College of Art & Design, 

Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, Jiangsu, China)

Extended abstract:[Background and purposes] The imperial porcelain industry of the Qing Dynasty during the Qianlong period represents the most diverse and technically sophisticated phase in the history of Qing porcelain production. Currently, the "Jingdezhen Handmade Porcelain Industry Remains" has been officially listed as China's 2026 nomination for UNESCO World Heritage status. Under this context, systematic research on the Qianlong imperial porcelain industry not only holds significant academic value but also fulfills a contemporary mission of articulating the global significance of traditional Chinese craft civilization. This paper was aimed to focus on the institutional evolution and technological integration within the Qianlong imperial porcelain industry, to explore its multifaceted characteristics in management systems, technical innovation and cultural expression. It is attempted to reveal the developmental logic of the imperial porcelain industry under the interplay of imperial authority, technology, and culture, thus providing theoretical support for the current nomination of the "Jingdezhen Handmade Porcelain Industry Remains" as a UNESCO thematic heritage site on porcelain.[Methods] This study is grounded in historical documents, court archives and material evidence. A comprehensive examination of the developmental trajectory and internal logic of the Qianlong imperial porcelain industry was conducted. By analyzing institutional texts, such as Illustrated Account of Ceramic Production (Taoye Tushuo) and Rules and Precedents for Artisan Work (Regulations and Procedures for Porcelain Firing), as well as archival sources including the Imperial Household Department Workshop Records (Qinggong Neiwufu Zaobanchu Huo Ji Dang) and Chronological Compendium of Tang Ying's Porcelain Administration (Tang Ying Ciwu Nianpu Changbian), the study is desired to trace the institutional evolution of the imperial kiln system. Furthermore, it examines representative artifacts, such as the "Vase with Variegated Glazes", as case studies to analyze the features and achievements of technological integration.[Results] During the Qianlong era, national fiscal prosperity, social stability and frequent foreign exchanges, combined with the emperor’s personal attention and active involvement of supervising officials, led to a highly organized and institutionalized imperial kiln management system. Imperial porcelain achieved unprecedented heights in technical sophistication and complexity. The vessel forms are rich and diverse, with polychrome and colored glaze porcelains, exhibiting distinctive characteristics. Active absorption and localization of foreign artistic elements were also pursued. Institutionally, imperial kiln production was transformed from empirical transmission to scientific and standardized management under the leadership of Tang Ying and other kiln supervisors, establishing a refined management system. The "vase with various glazes" integrates seventeen glaze techniques and employs composite firing technology, successfully resolving the technical challenges of co-firing multiple glazes. It represents the highest achievement of eighteenth-century Chinese ceramic materials science and technological integration, embodying both imperial symbolism and cultural synthesis. Following Tang Ying's departure from his position as supervisor of the imperial kilns, management gradually weakened. Due to factors, such as the retirement of senior porcelain artisans, difficulties in obtaining high-quality raw materials and social unrest, the imperial kiln industry declined progressively during the Qianlong period, marked by deteriorating porcelain quality, rising production costs and diminished market competitiveness.[Conclusions] This study was aimed to systematically reveal the developmental logic of the Qianlong imperial kiln porcelain industry under the dual drivers of institutional evolution and technological integration, with imperial will as the guiding force, institutional development as the safeguard, technical innovation as the support and cultural fusion as the manifestation. The institutional reforms during Tang Ying's tenure not only enhanced production efficiency and quality control for the imperial kilns but also established a paradigmatic model for the management of premodern Chinese state-run handicraft industries. The creation of the "vase with various glazes" stands as the pinnacle of synergistic interaction between institutional organization and technological advancement, serving as an "encyclopedia of craftsmanship" in the history of Chinese ceramics and a material symbol of the Chinese civilization’s spirit of "harmony without uniformity, inclusiveness and tolerance." The rise and fall of the imperial kilns also exposed the traditional state-run handicraft industry’s high dependence on key individuals, institutional continuity and natural resources. Once core managers were absent, institutions degraded and resources depleted, so that it would be more and more difficult to sustain technological excellence. This historical experience offers profound insights for the contemporary preservation of intangible cultural heritage and the transmission of traditional craftsmanship.

Key words: the Qianlong period; imperial kiln porcelain industry; institutional evolution; technological integration